Langenbrunner's status for Game 3 uncertain

NEWARK, N.J. -- When it comes to Game 3 of their best-of-seven series against the Carolina Hurricanes, the biggest question for the New Jersey Devils has nothing to do with their power play or how they'll match their opponents' physical style.

The real question is, will their captain be on the plane to Raleigh on Saturday?

Right now, it's uncertain.

"We'll know more (Saturday)," Devils coach Brent Sutter said of Jamie Langenbrunner, who went down with a lower-body injury in the second period and did not return. "Obviously, you guys already know the situation and we'll leave it at that. We'll see what tomorrow brings."

Naturally, the Devils want their captain in their lineup. But if Langenbrunner is unable to go on Sunday for Game 3, they're fully prepared to move forward and try to regain the home-ice advantage they lost when Tim Gleason beat Martin Brodeur at 2:40 of overtime in a 2-1 loss on Friday night at the Prudential Center.

"Things like that are going to happen," Devils forward Zach Parise said of Langenbrunner's injury. "We dealt with something like that early in the season with Marty, so things like that are going to happen. You hope they don't, but there's nothing you can do about it. We've all been in situations like this before. You just hope for Jamie to get back as soon as he can."

If Langenbrunner is unable to play on Sunday, one has to think Bobby Holik will get his first taste of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Holik, 38, had nine points in 62 games during the regular season.

"I don't know what Jamie's status is ... obviously he didn't finish the game," veteran forward John Madden said. "We've got a lot of depth here and a lot of guys that can play different positions. That's why management went out and got those guys. They'll have to step up and step in the lineup if someone is injured."

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I don't have a crystal ball. Predicting is a real complicated thing. If we stay healthy, have enough depth and get the good goaltending we think we're going to have, you can go all the way. But a lot of things have to happen. There's going to be a lot of teams that think the same thing. Everyone made deals. We're all are optimistic about where we'll end up.

— Rangers general manager Glen Sather after being asked if he's constructed a team that can win the Stanley Cup before their 4-1 win against the Predators on Monday